Oregon

State Supplementation

Mandatory Minimum Supplementation

Administration: State Department of Human Services, Adult and Family Services Division, Senior and Disabled Services Division (state-administered in local offices).

Optional State Supplementation

Administration: State Department of Human Services, Adult and Family Services Division, Senior and Disabled Services Division (state-administered in local offices).

Effective date: January 1, 1974.

Statutory basis for payment: Oregon Revised Statutes 411.120.

Funding

Administration: State funds.

Assistance: State funds.

Passalong method: Maintaining total expenditures.

Place of application: Local offices of the Department of Human Services.

Scope of coverage: Optional state supplement provided to all SSI recipients residing in the specified living arrangements (see Table 1). Blind children are eligible for state supplementation; disabled children under age 18 are ineligible.

Resource limitations: Federal SSI limitations used, except that the transfer of a home may render a person ineligible within 36 months of application.

Income exclusions: Federal SSI earned income exclusions used. No unearned income is excluded.

Recoveries, liens, and assignments: Assistance paid constitutes an unsecured prior claim against property or any interest therein belonging to the estate of a recipient except such portion as is being occupied as a home by the spouse, minor dependent child, or parent of deceased recipient. The Department of Human Services may compromise claim by accepting other security or may waive payment when enforcement would be inequitable and would tend to defeat the purpose of public assistance law.

a. Additional costs are covered by special service funds. Persons with veterans aid and attendants income are allowed to keep $90 as a personal needs allowance.

DEFINITIONS:

Living independently

Includes recipients living alone in their own household.

Living in the household of another

Includes recipients who live in the household of another.

Adult foster care facility

Includes recipients living in homes or other facilities that include board and room and 24-hour care and services for five or fewer elderly or disabled persons who are aged 18 or older.

Residential care facility

Includes recipients living in facilities of one or more buildings on contiguous property that provide 24-hour care and services to six or more people aged 16 or older.

Number of recipients: See Table 2.

Table 2. Number of persons receiving optional state supplementation, January 2005

Living arrangement

Total

Aged

Blind a

Disabled

All recipients

23,071

3,178

487

19,406

Living independently

19,365

1,895

365

17,105

Living in the household of another

2,595

754

83

1,758

Adult foster care or residential care facility

1,111

529

39

543

a. Includes blind children.

State Assistance for Special Needs

Administration

State Department of Human Services.

Special Needs Circumstances

Clothing for employment: Essential clothing may be provided for a recipient to begin employment if the recipient has been accepted for a job.

Special diet: Payment for a special diet will be allowed if need has been established by a physician and the recipient maintains independent living.

Restaurant meals: Restaurant meals are allowed in addition to the standard supplemental payments when recipient is unable to prepare meals because of physical or mental disability.

Laundry allowances: Laundry allowances are provided when the recipient has no available laundry facilities of any kind or is so disabled that he or she cannot do his or her own laundry and there is no other person living in the home who can do it.

Telephone allowances: Telephone allowances may be provided when the recipient lives alone and is housebound, lives in a situation so remote that a telephone is essential, or needs a telephone to maintain a job.

Maintenance for guide dogs: Payment for food will be made for guide dogs or special assistive animals.

Moving expenses: Moving costs will be provided if moving is essential to provide nonhazardous housing for the recipient or if the recipient has been evicted for reasons not attributable to his or her neglect or his or her failure to pay rent or house payments.

Household equipment costs: Certain items of household equipment may be purchased or repaired if the recipient is unable to obtain them without cost; a one-time payment of chattel mortgages or sales contracts may be made to prevent repossession if the cost of replacing an essential item exceeds the balance due on the contract.

Shelter exceptions: Additional payment is made for shelter expenses in situations in which the recipient has special needs that make it impractical or impossible to rent or continue to purchase adequate housing with current benefit payment.